St. John's Star Gives Teammate Pep Talk After Uneven March Madness Debut

Zuby Ejiofor encouraged Ian Jackson to stay aggressive as St. John's advances in NCAA Tournament

Mar. 21, 2026 at 8:57pm

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Shortly after St. John's NCAA Tournament opening-round victory, team captain Zuby Ejiofor pulled aside sophomore Ian Jackson to give him a pep talk. Ejiofor told Jackson, who had an uneven performance, that the team would need him to be aggressive as the tournament continues. Jackson appreciated the encouragement from his veteran teammate.

Why it matters

St. John's is looking to make a deep NCAA Tournament run, and the team will need contributions from all its key players. Ejiofor's leadership in supporting Jackson shows the team's chemistry and commitment to helping each other succeed on the big stage.

The details

Ejiofor was waiting for a TV interview when he pulled Jackson aside to offer encouragement. He told Jackson, "I need you to be aggressive. You're a tremendous player, even better person. We're going to definitely need you in this tournament." Jackson, a Bronx native, has had an up-and-down year, but said Ejiofor's words were "super important" coming from the team's captain.

  • St. John's defeated Northern Iowa in the NCAA Tournament opening round on March 21, 2026.

The players

Zuby Ejiofor

The team captain of the St. John's basketball team who gave a pep talk to teammate Ian Jackson after their NCAA Tournament opening-round win.

Ian Jackson

A sophomore guard for the St. John's basketball team who had an uneven performance in their NCAA Tournament opener, but was encouraged by Ejiofor to stay aggressive as the tournament continues.

Oziyah Sellers

A guard for the St. John's basketball team who grew up in Hayward, California, just a seven-hour drive from San Diego where St. John's played their NCAA Tournament opener, and had many friends and family in attendance to motivate him.

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What they’re saying

“Just trying to pick up my teammate. I saw he was a little bit down. I was telling him that I need him to be aggressive. He's a tremendous player, even better person. We're going to definitely need him in this tournament. I was just telling him to not worry about the noise. Just go out there and have fun, smile and play your game.”

— Zuby Ejiofor

“Super important, especially coming from Zuby, coming from our captain, someone who is a decorated player. To know that my teammates need me is super important.”

— Ian Jackson, Sophomore Guard

“Seeing my family in the crowd definitely gave me some motivation to go out there and play for them.”

— Oziyah Sellers, Guard

What’s next

With a win on Sunday over Kansas, St. John's will reach 30 victories for the second consecutive season. The last time that happened was in 1984-85 and 1985-86.

The takeaway

Ejiofor's leadership in supporting his teammate Jackson shows the strong chemistry and commitment within the St. John's team as they look to make a deep NCAA Tournament run. The team's ability to lift each other up will be crucial as they face tougher competition in the later rounds.